Broadcom Powers RCA Digital-to-Analog Converter Box in Support of the NTIA's Digital-to-Analog TV Coupon Program

Broadcom Powers RCA Digital-to-Analog Converter Box in Support of the NTIA's Digital-to-Analog TV Coupon Program

Based on Broadcom(R) Digital TV Technology, the RCA DTA800B is Certified as an NTIA Coupon-Eligible Converter Box that Extends the Lives of Analog-Only TVs in the U.S.

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced that the RCA DTA800B digital-to-analog converter box utilizes a Broadcom(R) digital television (DTV) system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution designed specifically to facilitate the transition from analog-to-digital broadcasting. As part of the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA's) digital-to-analog converter box program, the RCA DTA800B, powered by Broadcom DTV technology, has recently been certified as a "coupon-eligible converter box."

Under the direction of the NTIA, this government program will provide up to two $40 coupons per household towards the purchase of digital-to-analog converter boxes. As a result of this program, consumers with analog TVs that receive their broadcast signals using an antenna can use these converter boxes to receive new interference-free digital TV broadcasts. On February 17, 2009, full-power analog TV broadcasting will terminate in the U.S. Consumers may call 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) for more information or apply on-line at https://www.dtv2009.gov/ApplyCoupon.aspx to receive these coupons.

With the opportunity presented by the NTIA, RCA has introduced the model DTA800B -- an easy-to-use digital-to-analog converter box that will enable millions of consumers to easily bridge the transition from analog-to-digital television broadcasting. The RCA DTA800B converter boxes are expected to be available in February 2008, and the NTIA has budgeted a total of 33.5 million coupons for the program, which began January 1, 2008 and concludes on March 31, 2009.

Utilizing the Broadcom BCM3543 ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) receiver, the RCA DTA800B converter box is designed to receive ATSC high definition television (HDTV) broadcasts and convert them to NTSC (National Television Systems Committee) signals. Designed in a 65 nanometer process technology, the BCM3543 SoC is a highly integrated, low power digital "television-on-a-chip" receiver that provides superior ATSC signal reception targeted at the NTIA's coupon-eligible "analog switch-off" converter box program. The BCM3543 features on-chip support to convert all ATSC standard and high definition inputs to 480i output formats for display on analog televisions.

The RCA DTA800B digital TV converter box is slightly larger than a paperback book and is the ideal solution for consumers who want to continue watching programs on their analog televisions and don't want to buy a new digital TV. Highly energy efficient, the RCA DTA800B consumes only one watt of power while in "standby" mode and is designed to automatically turn itself off when the consumer is no longer actively watching TV. The DTA800B converter has qualified for ENERGY STAR designation and in a home environment, can sit horizontally as a set-top component, or, with the turn of a foot on one side of the box, can stand vertically next to the consumer's analog TV.

As part of its feature-set, the RCA DTA800B converter can automatically display current program information sent electronically by broadcasters and is also compatible with Smart Antenna products that can improve reception in hard-to-reach areas where TV signals are harder to receive. The Smart Antenna connection allows the DTA800B to electronically "steer" a specially designed antenna (available separately) that optimizes antenna placement for each station. This new capability, made possible by Broadcom digital TV technology, will insure steady picture-perfect reception in areas where conventional analog broadcast reception has been difficult. Also included in the RCA DTA800B converter box package is a specially designed "big button" remote control that works easily with millions of existing televisions and can be programmed to control millions more.

"Broadcom is very excited to support the transition from analog-to-digital broadcasting by enabling RCA to produce and quickly deliver digital-to-analog converter boxes as part of the NTIA coupon program," said Dan Marotta, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Broadcom's Broadband Communications Business Group. "The RCA DTA800B converter box is very important to the DTV transition assuring that millions of Americans can continue to receive free over-the-air TV programming after analog broadcasting concludes in February 2009."

About Broadcom's Broadband Communications Group

Broadcom offers manufacturers a range of broadband communications and consumer electronics SoCs that enable voice, video and data services over residential wired and wireless networks. These highly integrated silicon solutions continue to enable the most advanced system solutions on the market, which include digital cable, satellite and IP set-top boxes and media servers, broadband modems and residential gateways, high definition and digital televisions, HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc(R) players, DVD recorders and personal video recorders.

About Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation is a major technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. We provide the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art, system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R).

Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with 2007 revenue of $3.78 billion, and holds over 2,500 U.S. and 1,000 foreign patents, more than 7,400 additional pending patent applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video and data.

Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at http://www.broadcom.com/.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward- looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry and business, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.

Important factors that may cause such a difference for Broadcom in connection with BCM3543 digital TV receiver products include, but are not limited to, general economic and political conditions and specific conditions in the markets we address, including the volatility in the technology sector and semiconductor industry, trends in the broadband communications markets in various geographic regions, including seasonality in sales of consumer products into which our products are incorporated, and possible disruption in commercial activities related to terrorist activity or armed conflict in the United States and other locations; the rate at which our present and future customers and end-users adopt Broadcom's technologies and products in the markets for digital television applications; delays in the adoption and acceptance of industry standards in those markets; the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer orders and our ability, as well as the ability of our customers, to manage inventory; the gain or loss of a key customer, design win or order; our ability to scale our operations in response to changes in demand for our existing products and services or demand for new products requested by our customers; our ability to specify, develop or acquire, complete, introduce, market and transition to volume production new products and technologies in a cost-effective and timely manner; intellectual property disputes and customer indemnification claims and other types of litigation risk; the quality of our products and any remediation costs; changes in our product or customer mix; the volume of our product sales and pricing concessions on volume sales; the effectiveness of our expense and product cost control and reduction efforts; our ability to timely and accurately predict market requirements and evolving industry standards and to identify opportunities in new markets; problems or delays that we may face in shifting our products to smaller geometry process technologies and in achieving higher levels of design integration; our ability to retain, recruit and hire key executives, technical personnel and other employees in the positions and numbers, with the experience and capabilities, and at the compensation levels needed to implement our business and product plans; the risks and uncertainties associated with our international operations; competitive pressures and other factors such as the qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies and the resulting effects on sales and pricing of our products; the timing of customer-industry qualification and certification of our products and the risks of non-qualification or non-certification; the availability and pricing of third party semiconductor foundry, assembly and test capacity and raw materials; fluctuations in the manufacturing yields of our third party semiconductor foundries and other problems or delays in the fabrication, assembly, testing or delivery of our products; the risks of producing products with new suppliers and at new fabrication and assembly facilities; the effects of natural disasters, public health emergencies, international conflicts and other events beyond our control; the level of orders received that can be shipped in a fiscal quarter; and other factors.

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss the foregoing risks as well as other important risk factors that could contribute to such differences or otherwise affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of this date. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason.

Broadcom(R), the pulse logo, Connecting everything(R), and the Connecting everything logo are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Blu- ray Disc(R) is a trademark of Sony Corporation. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

Broadcom Trade Press Contact
Laura Brandlin
Senior Director, Marketing Communications
949-926-5108
lbrandlin@broadcom.com

Broadcom Investor Relations Contact
T. Peter Andrew
Vice President, Corporate Communications
949-926-5663
andrewtp@broadcom.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

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Source: Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Broadband

CONTACT: Trade Press, Laura Brandlin, Senior Director, Marketing
Communications, +1-949-926-5108, lbrandlin@broadcom.com, or Investor
Relations, T. Peter Andrew, Vice President, Corporate Communications,
+1-949-926-5663, andrewtp@broadcom.com, both of Broadcom Corporation

Web site:

http://www.broadcom.com/

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